Label.



J. H. JOHNSON. LABEL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25. 1915.

1 165381 Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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,H. JOHNSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LABEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Application filed September 25, 1915. Serial No. 52,610.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labels, of which the following is a specification. a

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in labels and the object of my invention is to provide a label which is adapted to be attached to articles of wearing apparel, umbrellas and the like about which it is desirable to keep a record of the date of receipt of the articles from the manufacturer, the sale by the retailer to the customer, and the return by the customer should the article prove unsatisfactory.

More specifically the object of invention is to provide a label which can be used .on articles such as umbrellas, petticoats,

is given a certain time inwhich to make the sale and which in turn are guaranteed to the customer of the retailer. In order to do this it is necessary that a record be kept of the date of receipt of the article guaranteed by the retailer, the date of sale to the customer and the date the article is returned under the guarantee. It is also necessary to provide for the immediate return or eX- change of the article in such form that it can be resold without difficulty. 7

With these and other objects in view my invention consists of a label made of fabric preferably silk, on which are printed columns providing spaces for inserting the various dates necessary, the columns being properly headed to indicate what the dates represent. I have discovered that with such a label the dates may be entered on it with a lead pencil which a sales clerk always has, and that such record can not be erased or changed without the fact being apparent, on a mere casual inspection.

Referring to the drawings wherein I show two forms of my invention and wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a label suitable for use in petticoats, and

other wearing apparel, and Fig. 2 is a label that the same is formed of a fabric preferably of silk, such as taffeta, which is preferably white, or of a very light color. This label is adapted to be sewn or otherwise secured on a portion of the garment or other wearing apparel which is not visible when the same is worn, suchfor instance as the pla ckets of a skirt or petticoat, the back of a collar, the inside of a hat, etc. On the upper portion of the label, such for instance as shown at 2, may be printed the name of the retail concern selling the article. There also appears on the label as shown at 3 the serial number and a series of five columns, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Each of these columns is shown as divided into three spaces, and preferably at the side of the columns are marked the letters D, M and Y to denote the day, month and year. At the top of the column 4: is the letter R and the date inserted in this column is the date the article bearing the label is received by the retailer. The column 5 has the letter S at the top, and in this column is inserted the date when the article is sold by the retailer to a customer. Column 6 is also marked S, and is for the purpose of entering a second selling date to a customer, shouldthe first customer return the article for any reason. In case the column 6 is used a line would be drawn through column 5 to indicate that the same had been canceled. The column 7 has the letter X at the top, and in this column is entered the date when the article is exchanged under the guarantee, and the column 8 has the letter R above the same and is for the purpose of indicating the date when the article is returned by the retailer to the manufacturer.

Fig. 2 shows an umbrella cap 9, which preferably also is formed of silk. Said cap is divided into a series of sector-shaped columns 1O, 11, 12, 13, 14: and 15. In the column 15 may be inserted the card or other advertising matter of the retailer. Each of the columns 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are divided into three parts marked at the sides D. M. and .Y. to receive the date of entry in that particular column. The column 10 at the top is headed R, the column 11 at the top is headed S, the column 12 is headed S, the column 13 is headed X and the column 14: is headed R, and the columns are for the same purpose as the columns t, 5, 6, 7 and 8 heretofore described.

It is the present practice of manufacturers where they make articles which are to be guaranteed to the customer for a period of several months to give to the retail dealer a certain length of time in which to sell the articles and then the guarantee runs for the given period from the date of such sale. If imperfections such for instance as the ripping of silk, occurs in the article within the time covered by the guarantee then it is agreed to exchange the article for a new one without cost.

In the practice of giving guarantees heretofore used it has been customary to have a tag with one or more coupons thereon, one of these coupons being returned to the manufacturer for his record, a second retained by the retailer for his record and the third kept by the customer to show the date of purchase. The keeping of these coupons by the manufacturer and the retailer involves time and labor. Furthermore the customer is liable to lose the retained coupon and consequently does not know whether the time covered by the guarantee hasexpired or not. Furthermore when a garment or other article is returned under such conditions it is either necessary to blindly accept the customers word or else to take time to look up the records. This is not only expensive but also annoying to the customer.

In the operation of my invention the retailer enters in the appropriate column with an ordinary lead pencil the date the article is received. When the article is sold the clerk making the sale enters in the first of the S columns the date, using the ordinary pencil with which they are necessarily provided for the purpose of making out their sale slips. No other record is made. If the goods are immediately returned for exchange, for instance, then the date of sale in the first column headed S is canceled by merely running a pencil line through the same, and upon the article being resold the date of such re-sale is entered in the second column. If now the customer returns the article under the guarantee and requests a new one the clerk merely has to look at the date entered in pencil in the S column to determine if the time limit has expired, and

as the full record of the transaction is on the article practically no time is consumed and there is no chance for an argument or misunderstanding between the customers and the clerk. If it be found that the article was returned within the time limit then the date of such return is entered in the column headed X, and then the date upon phite of which combines with the fiber of the silk in such manner as to render the same indelible to liquids or removal with an ordinary rubber eraser. An effort to erase said entries with a view to substituting a false or different entry therefor produces a result which renders such eiforts plainly apparent.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore do not intend to limit myself to the specific form shown and described.

Having thus described my invention what ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

' 1.. its a new article of manufacture, a label having a silk fabric surface adapted to receive graphite markings thereon, which markings when applied so combine with the fiber of the silk as to constitute a nonerasable safety label.

As anew article of manufacture a combined umbrella cap and label having a thin silk fabric surface adapted to receive graphite markings thereon, which markings when applied so combine with the fiber of the silk as to constitute a non-erasable safety label. 7

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES H. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

EMILY F. CAMP, F. L. BROWNE.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. i 

